Medical records to be stored online

All health and social care workers will have access to patients' medical records under new plans to store the details online.

The plans for a "paperless NHS" will also allow patients to access their own records online and view the information held about them, the Guardian reports.

Under the new proposal, set to be launched by health secretary Jeremy Hunt, all those involved in provided patient care will have access to the records, from ambulance workers to nurses in care homes.

A report suggests the move will save the government around £5 billion per year, but Mr Hunt says it will have a massive impact on improving care and may even save lives.

He said: "More importantly [than money] it can save billions of hours of time so nurses can spend more time with patients if they are not behind the nurses station trying to fill out forms."

The minister also claimed the move would help to reduce instances whereby a patient is prescribed the wrong medication.

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